System and method for automatically adjusting electronic display settings

ABSTRACT

Described are systems and methods for automatically adjusting a set of display settings. At least one image sample is displayed at a first display according to display settings of the first display. Electromagnetic radiation generated from the first display is collected. The electromagnetic radiation includes first image data related to the at least one image sample at the first display. An image sample is displayed at a second display according to display settings of the second display. Electromagnetic radiation generated from the second display is collected. The electromagnetic radiation includes second image data related to the image sample at the second display. A margin of error is determined between the first image data and the second image data. The display settings of the second display are adjusted to reduce the margin of error.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to image displays, and morespecifically, to a system and method for replicating image displaysettings customized according to user perceptions with respect toviewing a display and for modifying display settings of other imagedevices according to the replicated image display settings.

BACKGROUND

Many electronic devices include computer monitors, touchscreens,viewers, high definition television (HDTV) screens, liquid crystaldisplays (LCD) and the like for displaying information processed by thedevice, for example, pictures, videos, web pages, and othergraphic-related data. Electronic device users often personalize thesettings of the display according to personal preferences orrequirements. For example, one user may adjust a display's settings toaccommodate an eye-related deficiency such as far-sighted vision, whileanother user may require a display to be adjusted to accommodate issuesrelated to photosensitivity.

Modern electronic device users also tend to have access to differentdisplays, for example, a television display, a touchscreen, and acomputer monitor. Each display includes screen settings, such asbrightness, contrast, and so on, which can be adjusted according to theuser's personal requirements or preferences. Differences in monitorsize, brands, materials used, and so on can result in the same imagebeing displayed differently, even if the settings are the same at eachdisplay. A user's perception of a displayed image may not align with theactual display settings, requiring manual adjustments to the settings toachieve a desired displayed image.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In one aspect, a method is provided for automatically adjusting a set ofdisplay settings. The method comprises displaying at least one imagesample at a first display according to display settings of the firstdisplay; collecting electromagnetic radiation generated from the firstdisplay, the electromagnetic radiation including first image datarelated to the at least one image sample at the first display;displaying an image sample at a second display according to displaysettings of the second display; collecting electromagnetic radiationgenerated from the second display, the electromagnetic radiationincluding second image data related to the image sample at the seconddisplay; determining a margin of error between the first image data andthe second image data; and adjusting the display settings of the seconddisplay to reduce the margin of error.

In another aspect, a method is provided for sharing customized displaysettings between different displays. The method comprises displaying afirst image sample on a reference display device, the reference displaydevice configured according to a set of reference display settings;recording image properties related to the displayed first image sampleon the reference display device; displaying the first image sample on atarget display device, the target display device configured according toa set of target display settings; recording image properties related tothe displayed first image sample on the target display device;calculating a margin of error between the image properties related tothe displayed first image samples on the reference and target displaydevices, respectively; and reducing the margin of error by automaticallychanging the target display settings of the target display device.

In another aspect, a display setting adjustment system is providedcomprising an image data processing module that receives first imagedata determined from electromagnetic radiation captured by a firstphotosensitive device from a first display, the first image data relatedto at least one image sample at the first display, and that receivessecond image data determined from electromagnetic radiation captured bya second photosensitive device from a second display, the second imagedata related to at least one image sample at the second display; anerror determining module that determines a margin of error between thefirst image data and the second image data; and a display modificationmodule that adjusts the display settings of the second display to reducethe margin of error.

In another aspect, a computer program product is provided forautomatically adjusting a set of display settings. The computer programproduct comprises a computer readable storage medium having computerreadable program code embodied therewith. The computer readable programcode comprises computer readable program code configured to display atleast one image sample at a first display according to display settingsof the first display; computer readable program code configured tocollect electromagnetic radiation generated from the first display, theelectromagnetic radiation including first image data related to the atleast one image sample at the first display; computer readable programcode configured to display an image sample at a second display accordingto display settings of the second display; computer readable programcode configured to collect electromagnetic radiation generated from thesecond display, the electromagnetic radiation including second imagedata related to the image sample at the second display; computerreadable program code configured to determine a margin of error betweenthe first image data and the second image data; and computer readableprogram code configured to adjust the display settings of the seconddisplay to reduce the margin of error.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and further advantages of this invention may be betterunderstood by referring to the following description in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which like numerals indicate likestructural elements and features in various figures. The drawings arenot necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed uponillustrating the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a display setting adjustment system incommunication with a reference electronic device display, according toan embodiment of the present inventive concepts.

FIG. 2 is a method for acquiring display setting data, according to anembodiment of the present inventive concepts.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a set of sample images presented at adisplay, according to an embodiment of the present inventive concepts.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the display setting adjustment system ofFIG. 1 in communication with a target electronic device display,according to an embodiment of the present inventive concepts.

FIG. 5 is a method for adjusting display settings of a target displaydevice, according to an embodiment of the present inventive concepts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, specific details are set forth although itshould be appreciated by one of ordinary skill that the systems andmethods can be practiced without at least some of the details. In someinstances, known features or processes are not described in detail so asnot to obscure the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a display setting adjustment system 10 incommunication with an electronic device display 12, according to anaspect of the present inventive concepts.

The display 12, also referred to as a first display, a source display,or a reference display, can include a monitor, a touchscreen, a camerawindow, or other electronic device having a screen for displaying text,graphics, or other electronic data. A photosensitive panel 22 can bepositioned over the display 12 for capturing image light properties, asshown at flow arrow (1). Although a photosensitive panel 22 is shown,any photosensitive device can equally apply, including a camera or otherdevice having photosensitive elements, sensors, and so on, for capturingoptical information from a display and recording it on a film, storagedevice, and the like. The photosensitive panel 22 can include lightsensing elements that are integrated with the display screen, forexample, with plasma displays, touchscreens, and related displays.

The display setting adjustment system 10 includes an image dataprocessing module that receives image data determined from the lightproperties captured by the photosensitive panel 22, as shown at flowarrow (2) of FIG. 1. The image data can include characteristics of oneor more image samples displayed at the first display captured by thephotosensitive panel 22.

The image data related to each image presented at the display 12 andcaptured at the photosensitive panel 22 can be output to the displaysetting adjustment system 10. The image data can be stored as a file orrelated format at a storage device 14 such as a computer memory or othercomputer-readable medium as shown at flow arrow (3). The recorded datacan be used to modify the display settings at one or more otherelectronic device displays.

The display setting adjustment system 10, the display 12, and thestorage device 14 can communicate with each other via a network (notshown). The network can be a local area network (LAN), a wide areanetwork (WAN), or other communications network for transmittingelectronic data.

FIG. 2 is a method 200 for acquiring display setting data, in accordancewith an embodiment. In describing the method 700, reference is also madeto FIG. 1. Some or all of the method 200 can be performed at the displaysetting adjustment system 10 of FIG. 1. The method 200 can be governedby instructions that are stored in a memory of the display settingadjustment system 10, the storage device 14, or a combination thereof,and executed by a processor of the display setting adjustment system 10.

At operation 202, an image, for example, Sample 1 shown in FIG. 3, isdisplayed at a first display screen 12. The display screen 12 can be amonitor, a touchscreen, or other electronic device display. The image isdisplayed according to particular display settings associated with thefirst display screen, for example, brightness, contrast, colortemperature, and so on.

At operation 204, data related to the displayed image can be captured,for example, using a photosensitive panel 22 or other photosensitivedevice positioned at the display screen 12 over the displayed image. Thephotosensitive panel 22 can include light sensing elements that areintegrated with the display screen 12, for example, with plasmadisplays, touchscreens, and related displays. The photosensitive panel22 can capture light or other radiation generated from the displayedimage, and convert the light into data, which can be stored. In doingso, the captured image data can include optical properties of thedisplayed image, for example, properties related to screen brightness,contrast, color temperature, and so on.

At operation 206, the image data is stored in a file, for example, assource code derived from the light captured by the photosensitive panel22. The stored data can include all electromagnetic radiation dataemitted from the display screen 12 for each displayed image.

At decision diamond 208, a determination is made whether there areadditional sample images, for example, Sample 2, Sample 3, Sample 4shown in FIG. 3. If the determination is established at decision diamond208 that another image is displayed, then operation 202 is performed onthe additional images. Otherwise, the method 200 is completed.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the display setting adjustment system 10 ofFIG. 1 in communication with a target electronic device display 32,according to an aspect of the present inventive concepts. The flowarrows described in FIG. 1 can be applied before the flow arrows of FIG.4, and will therefore not be repeated for the sake of brevity. Thetarget display 32, like the display setting adjustment system 10, thesource display 12, and the storage device 14, can be connected to anetwork (not shown), for example, a local area network (LAN), a widearea network (WAN), or other communications network for transmittingelectronic data.

The target display 32, also referred to as a second display 32, can be amonitor, touchscreen, a camera window, or other electronic device havinga screen for displaying text, graphics, or other electronic data. Aphotosensitive panel 42 can be positioned over the target display 32 forcapturing electromagnetic radiation generated from the target display32, as shown at flow arrow (1), in a manner similar to that describedwith reference to flow arrow (1) of FIG. 1. Details regarding thephotosensitive panel 42 are therefore omitted for the sake of brevity.The sample image presented at the target display 32 is the same orsimilar to the sample image displayed at the display 12, for example,shown in FIG. 3.

The sample image data captured by the photosensitive panel 42 is outputto the display setting adjustment system 10 as shown at flow arrow (2).The display setting adjustment system 10 also receives the stored sampleimage data captured by the photosensitive panel 22 from the storagedevice 14, as shown at flow arrow (3).

The display setting adjustment system 10 includes an error determiningmodule that determines a margin of error between the image datacollected from the display screens 12 and 32, respectively, and includesa display modification module that reduces the margin of error betweenthe image data corresponding to the image sample generated at the firstdisplay 12 and the image data corresponding to the image samplegenerated at the second display 32 by automatically changing the displaysettings of the target display 32. The target display settings can beadjusted according to an optimal match between the input data and thenew data coming from the panel over the target display, shown at flowarrow (4).

FIG. 5 is a method 400 for adjusting display settings of a targetdisplay device, in accordance with an embodiment. Some or all of themethod 400 can be performed at the display setting adjustment system 10of FIGS. 1 and 4. The method 400 can be governed by instructions thatare stored in a memory device of the display setting adjustment system10, the storage device 14, or a combination thereof, and that areexecuted by a processor of the display setting adjustment system 10.

At operation 402, an image, for example, a sample image shown in FIG. 3,is displayed at a target display screen, for example, a monitor,touchscreen, or other electronic device display. The image is preferablydisplayed according to particular display settings associated with thefirst display screen. The image is displayed according to displaysettings such as screen resolution, DPI, color temperature, and so on,which are customized according to a user's personal preference. Thesample images shown on the display 12 can likewise be presented at oneor more other target displays, and a photosensitive panel can be placedover the target display to retrieve image data used to create adesirable match according to a user's perception of the displayed image.

At operation 404, a photosensitive panel is positioned at a targetdisplay screen. The photosensitive panel can include light sensingelements that are integrated with the display screen, for example, withplasma displays, touchscreens, and related displays.

At operation 406, image data is read from the photosensitive panel 42 ofthe target display 32. In particular, the photosensitive panel captureslight or other radiation generated from the displayed image, whichincludes the image data.

At operation 408, stored image data corresponding to the image displayedat the source display 12 is read from the storage device 14. The storedimage data can be acquired according to the method 200 described herein.

At operation 410, a margin of error is computed between the stored imagedata and the target image data. This can be achieved by calculating thedistance between the stored image data read according to operation 408and the image data read according to operation 406. The distance can bea monotone increasing function greater than or equal to 0, and can bedetermined according to mathematical techniques known to those ofordinary skill in the art used to determine a distance betweentwo-dimensional objects such as images.

At decision diamond 412, the computed margin of error is compared to apredetermined threshold. If a determination is made at decision diamond412 that the margin of error is less than the predetermined threshold,then the margin of error is determined to be acceptable. The thresholdcan be determined according to well-known techniques, depending onwhether the user requires an accurate calibration, a required timeperiod to perform the calibration, and so on.

If a determination is made at decision diamond 412 that the margin oferror is less than the predetermined threshold, then the margin of erroris deemed unacceptable, and at operation block 418, a new set ofparameters is calculated, which are used to adjust the settings of thetarget display. The calculation of the new set of parameters thereforetakes into account the feedback loop minimizing the margin of errorcomputed between the stored image data and the target image data.Accordingly, the method 400 proceeds to operation 402, where the imageis displayed at the target display according to the new parameters. Afeedback loop permits the target display image to be automaticallyadjusted to be the same as or similar to the source display image havinga reduced or minimized error between the two images. The operations inthe method 400 can be performed until the margin of error is reduced toa 0 value. Alternatively, the display setting adjustment system caninclude a timer that is configured with a predetermined time duringwhich the operations are to be completed. At the end of thepredetermined time, the target display settings can be configured inaccordance with the parameters generated in view of the margin of error.

Parameter values applied to the target display for adjusting the displaysettings to reduce a margin of error between two images can bedetermined as follows.

S (S1, S2, S3, . . . ) is a set of sampled images saved as source. X1,X2, . . . , Xn represents a set of monitor parameters to be adjusted atthe target display. C(a, b) is the function of correlation between animage displayed at the source display, referred to as image A, and animage displayed at the target display, referred to as image B. Image Acan refer to a stored image corresponding to the source display 12described at operation 408. Image B can refer to the image displayed atthe target display 32 described at operation 406. Digital imagecorrelation (DIC) or related correlation techniques can be applied todetermine changes between images A and B.

For each element (Si), where i is an integer, in the set of sampledimages, B(X1, X2, . . . , Xn) can be calculated as the image projectedby the target display 32. Accordingly, target display image B iscalculated as being the image projected by the target display 32 usingX1, X2, . . . , Xn parameter values. Each parameter value can correspondto a characteristic of the sample image as displayed, for example, colortemperature, brightness, and so on.

The function C(X1, X2, . . . Xn)=C(Si, B(X1, X2, . . . , Xn) iscalculated according to a correlation technique such as DIC.

The parameters (X1, X2, . . . , Xn) can be varied. In doing so, amaximum value of the function C(X1, X2, . . . Xn)=C(Si, B(X1, X2, . . ., Xn), referred to as Mi=(Mx1, Mx2, . . . , M×n), can be calculated. M1,M2, . . . , Mn can be obtained as the set of vectors representing amaximum correlation value for each image.

A final vector V(V1, V2, . . . , Vn) can be calculated as the standarddeviation of the set of vectors (M1, M2, . . . , Mn). The components ofthe final vector V can be the parameters used to configure the targetdisplay settings. For example, any and all relevant parameterscorresponding to color temperature, brightness, and so on can beobtained and can contribute to the final vector V.

Accordingly, the systems and methods described above are performedautomatically and at a high degree of precision as distinguished fromthe conventional approach of manually adjusting display settings.Further, the system and method for automatically adjusting displaysettings can be based on a user's perception of a displayed image toovercome differences in display characteristics resulting from differentbrands, lighting characteristics, and so on. Instead of exportingdisplay settings based on absolute parameters, the user's perception ofan image can be obtained at the reference, and applied to other displaysusing the recorded “perceived image” as a reference, which takes intoconsideration both environmental factors and subjective perception.Accordingly, a displayed graphic, icon, digital photograph, backgroundfield, and the like on one computer display can be displayed to a userby automatically adjusting the display parameters according to what theuser sees with respect to color, etc. on another display.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentinvention may be embodied as a system, method or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the formof an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.”Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of acomputer program product embodied in one or more computer readablemedium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may beutilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signalmedium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system,apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Morespecific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readablestorage medium would include the following: an electrical connectionhaving one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storagedevice, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storagemedium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a programfor use by or in connection with an instruction execution system,apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Program codeembodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using anyappropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline,optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of theforegoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of thepresent invention may be written in any combination of one or moreprogramming languages, including an object oriented programming languagesuch as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional proceduralprogramming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similarprogramming languages. The program code may execute entirely on theuser's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable data processingapparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also beloaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, orother devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed onthe computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce acomputer implemented process such that the instructions which execute onthe computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof code, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be notedthat, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in theblock may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, twoblocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be notedthat each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, andcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchartillustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-basedsystems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations ofspecial purpose hardware and computer instructions.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference tospecific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in theart that various changes in form and detail may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A display setting adjustment system, comprising: animage data processing module of a computer processor that receives firstimage data determined from electromagnetic radiation captured by a firstphotosensitive device from a first display, the first image data relatedto at least one image sample at the first display, and that receivessecond image data determined from electromagnetic radiation captured bya second photosensitive device from a second display, the second imagedata related to at least one image sample at the second display, whereina first image corresponding to the first image data is viewable by aviewer at a screen of the first display and a second image correspondingto the second image data is viewable by the viewer at a screen of thesecond display that is different than the screen of the first display;an error determining module of a computer processor that determines amargin of error between the first image data and the second image data;and a display modification module of a computer processor that adjuststhe display settings of the second display to reduce the margin oferror.
 22. The display setting adjustment system of claim 21, whereinthe display modification module adjusts the display settings to reducethe margin of error to be less than or equal to a predeterminedthreshold, or to a 0 value.
 23. The display setting adjustment system ofclaim 21, wherein the error determining module determines a function ofcorrelation between the first image data and the second image data,determines a maximum of the function of correlation by varying firstparameter values corresponding to the display settings of the seconddisplay, obtains a set of vectors representing a maximum correlationvalue for each of the at least one image sample at the first display andthe at least one image sample at the second display, and determines afinal vector as a standard deviation of the set of vectors, wherein thecomponents of the final vector include second parameter valuescorresponding to the display settings of the second display.
 24. Acomputer program product for automatically adjusting a set of displaysettings, comprising: a computer readable storage medium having computerreadable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable programcode comprising: computer readable program code configured to display atleast one image sample at a first display according to display settingsof the first display; computer readable program code configured tocollect electromagnetic radiation generated from the first display, theelectromagnetic radiation including first image data related to the atleast one image sample at the first display; computer readable programcode configured to display an image sample at a second display accordingto display settings of the second display; computer readable programcode configured to collect electromagnetic radiation generated from thesecond display, the electromagnetic radiation including second imagedata related to the image sample at the second display, wherein a firstimage corresponding to the first image data is viewable by a viewer at ascreen of the first display and a second image corresponding to thesecond image data is viewable by the viewer at a screen of the seconddisplay that is different than the screen of the first display; computerreadable program code configured to determine a margin of error betweenthe first image data and the second image data; and computer readableprogram code configured to adjust the display settings of the seconddisplay to reduce the margin of error.